Steeled
by girl in the glen
Summary: When does an element return to itself? Steel might find out.


Steel awoke from what must have been … sleep. Impossible. It had to be something else, something not … sleep.

_Steel?_

His name was spoken by a familiar voice.

_Sapphire? Are you here?_

Where was here? It was unfamiliar, and Steel was completely immobilized. He could feel his arms stretched out to the sides of his body… Steel felt something else. Naked.

Again it was Sapphire speaking, searching for him in this strange place.

_I think I know where you are, Steel. I'm almost there._

Whether or not the normally stoic element had a sense of vulnerability in his current state, it was useless to indulge it. Steel was more concerned about how he had come to be in this darkened room, manacled to a structure so similar in composition to his own being. Steel on steel.

Sapphire approached the door to her partner's prison. She thought of it that way, because within the room she knew that Steel was unable to free himself from the trap into which he had fallen. It was for her that he had crossed a line and found himself prisoner of Time itself.

_Steel, are you alone?_

_Yes. Yes, I think so … I can't see, it's completely dark._

Steel didn't sense anyone, or anything in the room with him, although that offered not one bit of comfort. He was feeling drawn into the table on which he was confined. It was almost as though…

_Sapphire, I think that whatever has brought me here intends for me to become a part of this room. Permanently_.

Yes, that sounded right to Sapphire. Every part of her being was on alert for any type of presence that might be responsible. TIME, that was the enemy, but not the facilitator of this event. Steel had been lured here with the intention of joining his partner, but Sapphire had not summoned him. Another element had mimicked her somehow, had fooled Steel into believing a falsehood. That would take a very clever element, and one with the ability to imitate Sapphire.

_Fluorine. Steel, it was Flor and he got you here by pretending to be me. He's like a chameleon._

Steel was losing some of his strength, could feel himself sinking deeper into the steel frame beneath him. He didn't know how, but his enemies had found a way to create a melding of his and the other steel's composition.

_Sapphire, I don't know how much longer… I'm feeling myself ebb away and I don't think I can stop it._

Sapphire needed to think of something, and she needed to get through this door. It was made of steel, and trying to break it down wasn't an option. Unless…

_I'm summoning Lead. You need to start the process of freezing. Do you hear me Steel? You must lower you temperature, quickly!_

Almost immediately Sapphire heard the approach of the larger than life Lead. His voice was booming in this place, and the lovely blue eyes that greeted him were welcoming and grateful.

"Lead, you are uniquely qualified for the task. Steel is on the other side of this door, and I can't open it."

A laugh rose up out of the depths of the big man, a sound that began to give Sapphire some hope for this seemingly hopeless situation.

"Ah, Sapphire, all you ever need to do is ask, you know that. Is Steel going to freeze?"

Sapphire nodded, all of her hopes now resting on Lead and the stubborn man inside this locked room.

"Stand back, Sapphire, let me do my job."

With that Lead heaved himself into the steel door, causing a dent. The door was still hanging in its place, still locked.

"One more time will do it."

Sapphire was counting minutes now, hoping that Steel wouldn't be too far gone when the door finally came down.

Steel heard the noise of Lead's assault on the door. His body temperature was plunging into the freezing zone and he felt himself begin to lose consciousness. He needed Lead in here to help shield him from the awful cold. It was getting … cold … dark …

With a herculean effort the door came off its hinges as Lead heaved his body into it one final time. Sapphire let out a breath she had held for the duration, then rushed in ahead of Lead to get to Steel. She was taken back slightly when she saw his body, naked and crystallized by the ice that was forming on him. Lead immediately freed Steel's hands and feet, tearing away the manacles that held him on the table. Steel was the same color now as the metal on which he lay; the ice had created that effect, although now it was easy to see that he might have truly become a part of this other steel had Lead not arrived when he did.

"Steel, can you hear me?" Sapphire was desperate to hear Steel's voice, to know that he was there, alive. Lead had produced a blanket that he now wrapped around Steel's body, carrying him to the hallway and sitting down on the floor to begin his vigil with the stricken man in his arms. Steel looked so fragile in this state, his deep-set eyes closed as though in death. Sapphire choked back a sob as she considered that her partner, her … Steel, might not survive this.

"Lead, can you discern anything? Will he …?"

The big man laughed at her worries, his confidence in both the man and his own ability to preserve his friend's life was resolute.

"Yes, yes Sapphire. He will live to vex us both time and again. Steel will live, I promise you."

At that, Sapphire eased herself down onto the floor next to Lead. She needed to remain close, to watch Steel return to life. She leaned her head onto Lead's shoulder, letting the warmth in her heart help revive Steel even as the big man's body was doing the same job.

Slowly the agony of returning to life began to stir in Steel. His entire body ached, his breath came in gasps as cold air was exhaled and the warm inhaled. Just as slowly was the realization that he was being held by Lead, his incubator. Sapphire was seated next to them, and he looked into her eyes, waited for some word from her.

"Steel, are you back with us?"

The blond element tried to extricate himself from the grasp of the big man who held him. There was really no more need for this … arrangement. He remembered that he had been naked, and unable to alter that condition. Now he fashioned for himself a suitable set of clothes, an unlikely sweater instead of his usual suit coat. Steel felt colder than usual, no point in denying it.

"Thank you, both of you. Now, what do we know about the situation? Has Flor been apprehended?"

Lead shook his head, refraining from laughter at the mention of the renegade element. He might have killed Steel, but then Flor had always been fickle. No one would be surprised by his lack of loyalty.

"He will not get away, Steel. Even with his ability to change, Flor will be caught and brought to justice, I have no doubt."

Steel was standing now, and held out a hand to help up Sapphire. Lead was already towering over the two, and bade them farewell with a promise to be available the next time he was needed. Now, with nothing between them any longer, Sapphire put her hand to Steel's face, letting it trail down the side as she felt the assurance of returning warmth in this beloved man.

Steel understood and caught her hand, drawing it to his mouth so that he could offer a kiss, and a caress. It was a small gesture, but it conveyed a wealth of emotion to which Steel would never lay claim. For Sapphire, it was enough.


End file.
